Dispensers for vaporizable and volatilizable substances of many types are known. Such dispensers are used for many types of vaporizable and volatilizable substances, including various scents, disinfectants, medicaments such as decongestants and inhalants, germicidal agents, insecticides, bactericides, fungicides, algicides, anesthetics, cleaning substances, deodorants, reodorants, herbicides, fertilizers, rubefacients, vapor phase corrosion inhibitors, food fragrances, animal repellents, animal attractants, and other substances.
In many of the prior art dispensing devices the substance to be dispersed is absorbed on a pad of absorbent material, impregnated with the substance, and is vaporized from the pad with the aid of a catalytic device such as a heat generator. In a number of such prior art devices there is provided an electric lamp or bulb as a heat generator. In other devices there is provided an electrical heater. The heating is used either to volatilize the substance or to create a pressure differential for forcing heated air through the heated pad, thereby to volatilize the substance absorbed therein.
Other devices are known which include a vent structure to permit vaporization of the substance from the pad, or from a reservoir of liquid material, into the surrounding ambient atmosphere upon opening of the vent. Still other devices are available which provide disposable cartridges for a single use.
However, prior art does not disclose devices in which the vaporizable substance is dispersed at a rate which may be selected by the user, whether by selective opening of passageways within a replaceable cartridge or by electronic control vent means and/or of a heating circuit within the device receiving the disposable cartridge.
There is thus a need in the art for cartridges having adjustable controls for varying the rate of vaporization of a volatilizable substance enclosed therein. There is also a need in the prior art for disposable cartridges having a storage arrangement therein for a volatilizable substance and for effecting a precise rate of volatilization thereof.
There is also a need in the art for dispensing devices for vaporizable substances included in disposable cartridges inserted therein, the cartridges having structural facilities for controlling the rate of volatilization of the enclosed substance, and wherein the device includes electronic controls for adjustably controlling the release of volatilized substance from the cartridge, thus controlling the timing of vaporization and dispersing of the substance.
There is yet a further need in the art for vaporizing devices including therein structure for facilitating the insertion of disposable cartridges, thus to assure proper alignment of the same within the device.